30th birthday surprise trip ideas?
October 8, 2015 6:00 AM Subscribe
I'd like to surprise my partner with a trip SOMEWHERE for ~3-5 days from either San Francisco or Washington DC. The annoying part is his birthday is the day after Christmas.
So, we'll be in SF Christmas Eve until the 27th or so. Then I'd like to whisk him away on a surprise trip. So, we could either fly out of SF or I can surprise him after we fly back home to DC.
I'd like something relaxing, outdoors-y, with great food and beer. (I know, basic desires of all vacations.)
We've already done Seattle/Portland or I'd do that. We were just in Iceland and loved it. I've looked into cruises but they seem to need a longer trip. Ideally, I'd want something from the 28/9th until just after New Years. Budget-wise, nothing over 2k for both of us as we're planning a wedding too. Everything seems so expensive around this time.
Am I missing some perfect place from SF or DC we could go to?
So, we'll be in SF Christmas Eve until the 27th or so. Then I'd like to whisk him away on a surprise trip. So, we could either fly out of SF or I can surprise him after we fly back home to DC.
I'd like something relaxing, outdoors-y, with great food and beer. (I know, basic desires of all vacations.)
We've already done Seattle/Portland or I'd do that. We were just in Iceland and loved it. I've looked into cruises but they seem to need a longer trip. Ideally, I'd want something from the 28/9th until just after New Years. Budget-wise, nothing over 2k for both of us as we're planning a wedding too. Everything seems so expensive around this time.
Am I missing some perfect place from SF or DC we could go to?
The Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite is about as close as you can get to an outdoorsy cruise, and the park is beautiful (and nearly empty) that time of year.
(If you're looking for something further afield, there are lots of beautiful places you can see in Mexico in three days, and flights are cheap. Just pick your terrain. Non-touristy businesses will often be closed though.)
posted by eotvos at 6:26 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
(If you're looking for something further afield, there are lots of beautiful places you can see in Mexico in three days, and flights are cheap. Just pick your terrain. Non-touristy businesses will often be closed though.)
posted by eotvos at 6:26 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nothing beats a road trip down PCH from SF to L.A. Rent a car Then fly back from L.A.
posted by zagyzebra at 6:31 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by zagyzebra at 6:31 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yeah, if you felt like spending some money, Big Sur is usually GREAT right around then, although it might feel too small for some people. (I could spend weeks there easily.)
posted by RJ Reynolds at 6:47 AM on October 8, 2015
posted by RJ Reynolds at 6:47 AM on October 8, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks for the great ideas--specific hotels/places are great too, I'll check the Ahwahnee hotel.
I do want to note that his family is from SF and LA so he's done a lot of the Napa/PCH drive, etc. We don't necessarily need to fly, but I can't think of anything else nearby that would be different/interesting.
posted by inevitability at 7:09 AM on October 8, 2015
I do want to note that his family is from SF and LA so he's done a lot of the Napa/PCH drive, etc. We don't necessarily need to fly, but I can't think of anything else nearby that would be different/interesting.
posted by inevitability at 7:09 AM on October 8, 2015
Is there a specific sort of outdoorsy vibe you like?
Personally, there's a particular charm to the southwest desert in the middle of winter. There's more green than normal, the air is crisp, it's cool but not cold.... So nice. Would you be interested in Arizona or New Mexico?
posted by meese at 7:21 AM on October 8, 2015
Personally, there's a particular charm to the southwest desert in the middle of winter. There's more green than normal, the air is crisp, it's cool but not cold.... So nice. Would you be interested in Arizona or New Mexico?
posted by meese at 7:21 AM on October 8, 2015
Hawaii is an easy flight from SF. Look at Kauai, it's the most relaxing place in the world.
posted by roger ackroyd at 7:36 AM on October 8, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by roger ackroyd at 7:36 AM on October 8, 2015 [4 favorites]
Best answer: So, my birthday is just after Christmas too, and in terms of trying to travel then, it is the worst. I have long, long wanted to take an awesome vacation for my birthday, and it's really never worked for me because everything costs a billion dollars and everyone planned their post-Christmas vacation, like, a year ago.
I feel like your best strategy here is to try for a big city that won't be overwhelmed by people on holiday. Tourist-specific destinations like Yosemite or Kauai or Big Sur will likely be a nightmare.
Since you're based in DC, you might think about trying to go somewhere warm and sunny, like Phoenix. You could stay downtown, go to the Desert Botanic Garden and the Heard Museum, do some desert hiking, and soak in the sunshine. Sunset magazine covers Phoenix quite a lot, so you might poke around their website to look for fun. There's definitely good food to be had around there.
Houston is also a world-class city, with great museums and food, and likely to be temperate and warm during that time of year. Go to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Menil, walk around Montrose, eat Tex-Mex etc.
posted by purpleclover at 12:45 PM on October 8, 2015
I feel like your best strategy here is to try for a big city that won't be overwhelmed by people on holiday. Tourist-specific destinations like Yosemite or Kauai or Big Sur will likely be a nightmare.
Since you're based in DC, you might think about trying to go somewhere warm and sunny, like Phoenix. You could stay downtown, go to the Desert Botanic Garden and the Heard Museum, do some desert hiking, and soak in the sunshine. Sunset magazine covers Phoenix quite a lot, so you might poke around their website to look for fun. There's definitely good food to be had around there.
Houston is also a world-class city, with great museums and food, and likely to be temperate and warm during that time of year. Go to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Menil, walk around Montrose, eat Tex-Mex etc.
posted by purpleclover at 12:45 PM on October 8, 2015
If Seattle/Portland is not too daunting for you weather-wise, you might also look at Vancouver, B.C.
posted by purpleclover at 5:21 PM on October 8, 2015
posted by purpleclover at 5:21 PM on October 8, 2015
Or Austin. The weather could range from 30-70 degrees F, but odds are pretty good you'll get sun. The town has a fun vibe, and many of the college students from UT will be home for Christmas break.
Coming from SF to DC, I want you to go somewhere closer to the middle of the country to make flying home more tolerable.
posted by purpleclover at 5:28 PM on October 8, 2015
Coming from SF to DC, I want you to go somewhere closer to the middle of the country to make flying home more tolerable.
posted by purpleclover at 5:28 PM on October 8, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
That'd be San Diego. One recent Ask Metafilter question.
Do you really have to fly? Otherwise a trip up to Napa or down to Monterey would be romantic and relaxing too.
posted by vacapinta at 6:08 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]